Rangers vs Dundee United preview: Team news, lineups, prediction
Rangers return to Scottish Premiership action against Dundee United this weekend after a fortnight of turmoil.
Russell Martin was finally sacked by Andrew Cavenagh on 5 October, with Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Falkirk proving to be the final straw.
Rangers remain on the search for a new manager 11 days on from that, with Steven Gerrard rejecting the chance to return to Ibrox.
Kevin Muscat is now the favourite to take charge of Rangers, but he will remain with Shanghai Port for another month as Steven Smith oversees first-team matters for the time being.
It is far from an ideal situation for Rangers, as Ibrox News looks ahead to the visit of Dundee United on Saturday.
Preview
Rangers’ draw with Falkirk before the international break extended what has been nothing short of a diabolical start to the season.
The Gers have won just one of their opening seven Scottish Premiership matches and are eighth in the table, already 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine adrift of second-placed Celtic.
Rangers have also struggled in the Europa League, but Thursday’s trip to Brann will not be in the minds of the Gers players as three points are an absolute must against Dundee United.
The Tangerines are one point better off that Rangers in fourth, having won two, lost two and drawn three of their first seven matches.
United drew 1-1 with Livingston in their most recent match, as Krisztian Keresztes cancelled out Scott Pittman’s opener.
Jim Goodwin’s side are therefore winless in two matches, with that draw coming on the back of a 2-0 loss at home to Kilmarnock.
Form guide
Rangers (last six all comps): L W L W L D
Dundee United (last six all comps): L W D W L D
Head-to-head
As per Sofascore, Rangers are unbeaten in their past 10 meetings with Dundee United in a run stretching back to August 2021.
Cyriel Dessers netted twice and Nicolas Raskin bagged the other on the most recent occasion the sides met in May this year in a 3-1 win for the Gers.
That was the same scoreline when the sides met at Tannadice earlier this year.
Indeed, the only occasion Rangers have failed to beat the Tangerines in their past eight meetings was a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in November last year.
Team news and predicted lineups
Smith will oversee this match and, without being overly drastic with his selection, he will surely want to change things up.
Central defence remains an issue and it may well be that Derek Cornelius moves across, with Nasser Djiga dropping out of the side and Jayden Meghoma coming in.
Joe Rothwell is another whose place in the side is at risk, with Mohamed Diomande potentially partnering Conor Barron.
Dujon Sterling and Rabbi Matondo are Rangers’ only injury doubts, with Smith having a number of fringe players no doubt raring to go and prove a point if selected.
As for the visitors, Ross Graham, Isaac Pappoe, Owen Striton and Max Watters are all doubtful for the clash at Ibrox.
Zac Sapsford has scored two league goals this season, albeit none of those coming in his last three outings, and looks set to link up with Ivan Dolcek and Nikolaj Moller in attack.
Rangers predicted XI: Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Cornelius, Meghoma; Barron, Diomande; Antman, Raskin, Gassama; Miovski
Dundee United predicted XI: Kucherenko; Iovu, Esselink, Keresztes; Stephenson, Sevelj, Camara, Ferry; Dolcek, Moller, Sapsford
Prediction: Rangers 2-0 Dundee United
Rangers are going through a very tough time of things right now in what has been a dreadful start to the season.
Even if Martin simply had to go, the fact there has been no manager leading the players on the training ground over the past fortnight is far from ideal.
Still, Rangers can simply go back to the basics now that Martin has gone, starting with this visit of Dundee United.
On current form, no opponent can be taken for granted, but Rangers have a great record in this fixture and should have enough to get their season back on track here with all three points.
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